Improvement in skeleton skirts



'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

JOHN M. KINNEY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND DANIEL D. WINAN'I, OF BROOKLYN, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN SKELETON SKlPLTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent NO. 37,256, dated December 23, 1862.

[0 all whom zit may concerns Be it known that I, JOHN M. KINNEY, of Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State ot' Ohio, have invented, made, and applied to use a certain new and useful Im provement in Ladies7 Skeleton Skirts; and I do hereby declare the following to be a tull, clear, and exact description of the said invention, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making part ot' this specification, wherein- Fignre l is a plan ot' my said skirt. Fig. 2 is an elevation ot' the same; and Figs. 3 and 4 are sections of the waistband, showing the inode of attaching the springs.

Similar marks of reference denote the same parts.

In skeleton skirts the springs are in a. cirv cular form, surrounding the person, and if one side is pushed inward the other is proportionately extended. This is a great inconvenience to ladies, both in sitting down and in passing along through narrow places and in crowded assemblies. One side ot' the dress cannot be pressed upon without the other bulging out unduly, and many other inherent detects might be named.

The nature ot' my said invention consists in springs radiating from. a waistband drawn down into the skirt form and coniined to each other by elastic or non-elastic cords, tapes, or strings. 3y. this arrangement each of the said springs can be depressed, either in passing through narrow spaces or by any person walking at the side of a lady, without the other side being pressed out, or a lady can gather the skirt together and sit down almost as easily as it' without a skirt, the springs bending in the direction of the limbs, but when said skirt is free all the way around or in any portion thereof the dress is extended gracefully.

In the drawings, d is a belt of metal, adapted to the size of waist, and clasped together by any suitable clasp b. In order to stiften said metal belt a., and also to make it easier in wear, I provide the ila-rin g lower edge at], which also aids in sustaining the springs, as hereinafter shown. To'allow for putting on this waist-belt it is to be hinged together as at 2.

rEhe springs c c of my skirt are attached to and radiate from the waist-belt, and in Figs. 3 and et the inode of attachment will be seen. 3 3 are loops, formed by pressing the sheet metal up from the inside of the waist-belt, so that there is room to slip the ends of the springs through these loops and secure them by pressing or hammering said loops down upon the springs, and the springs are bent ot't' at right angles to the surface ot' said belt, and they rest in this position upon the curved flange l. Y

The springs, which after attachment to the belt all radiate, are to be brought down and connected together by a cord, tape, or other ideXible attachment, which retains them in the required skirt form. I prefer that elastic webbing, as at d, be employed to connect the springs near their lower ends, as less liable to injury, because it yields to strain when the person is seated. The springs should be connected by several circumferential cords or tapes, as at e e, but these should be disconnected, as atj'f, in order to allow the wearer to step in when the belt is ancla-sped. Buttons, eyes, or other fastenings may be ein ployed, it desired, to connect the ends of these cords or tapes. 'Ihe said cords or tapes should also be opened down the back, as at g, or the belt might clasp behind-in either instance avoiding the necessity ot' raising the skeleton skirt at the water-closet.

The belt a should be covered with any suitable ornamental material, and the lower ends ot' the springs should be turned up or otherwise prevented from injuring the person.

This skirt is simple, easily put on or taken off, and is not liable to injure the person, and there are no ends projecting at the opening where the person puts the skirt on to be come entangled or injure the wearer, as is the case at the ends of the upper ranges of' hoops in the ordinary skirts.

It will be evident that my radiating skirtsprings might be attached to any desired character of waist-belt or corset. l

Vhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A skeleton skirt formed ot' springs radiatin g from a suitable waist-belt and connected to each other to retain them in a skirt form by elastic or non-elastic cords, tapes, or their equivalents, substantially as specied.

In witness whereofl I have hereunto set my signature this 12th day of November, 1862.

JOHN M. KINNEY.

Witnesses:

LnMUnL W. SERRELL, Trios. GEO. HAROLD. 

